‘On merit’: Portsmouth’s Cinderella Man at centre of survival bid after latest landmark
He turned 35 yesterday but has started eight games on the spin for John Mousinho’s side, as they fight for their place in the Championship.
Marlon Pack’s importance to Pompey’s hopes of survival has been recognised after his Fratton revival.
And John Mousinho insisted his skipper is still dominating sides in the middle of the park, as he yesterday celebrated his 35th birthday.
Pompey boss: ‘Marlon’s in there on merit’
Pack’s renaissance this season has seen him play an important role in the middle of the park for Mousinho’s side, starting 17 games with a further 12 outings coming off the bench.
The Buckland lad’s playing time appeared to be on the slide over the second half of last season, being left on the bench for seven of Pompey’s final eight games and picking up four starts from the final 17 fixtures of the 2024-25 campaign.
Many anticipated Pack playing a more peripheral role this term but it’s been anything but the case, underlined by the Cardiff City arrival getting eight full games on the spin.
His form has been impressive in that time, striking up a decent understanding central with Ebou Adams before Mousinho surprisingly opted to break up that partnership in the QPR thrashing.
The Pompey boss admitted not many would have seen his current level of playing time coming a year ago, but Pack has certainly not been found wanting.
Mousinho said: ‘You possibly wouldn’t have thought Marlon would be playing that many games in a row a year ago.
‘But if you’d asked me at the start of last season if I’d anticipated Marlon playing 20 games at centre-back, I wouldn’t have done.
‘He’s come in, played on merit and been very, very good for the side.
‘He knits everything together. Before QPR, as much as we were talking about poor results we were also talking about some very good performances - Marlon’s been a big part of that.
‘He got his goal at Millwall and I’ve been really pleased with what Marlon has done.
Pompey boss: Pack dominating games physically and technically
‘If you look at everything objectively and take age out of it, there’s no way you look at the middle of the park and think there’s someone there on the wrong side of 30 and struggling. It’s been the opposite.
‘He’s been very good and we haven’t been found wanting for anything in the middle of the park, before QPR.
‘Marlon’s played against some very good players and has dominated a lot of those games physically, also a lot of those games in terms of his technical ability. Marlon’s in there on merit.’
Pack is one of seven Pompey players out of contract this summer, but looks set to remain at PO4 moving forward - with Mousinho confirming he’s still a wanted man.
The Pompey boss stated that was the case last month, with Pack himself ruling out retirement in the summer.
Pack told The News earlier this month: ‘I want to continue to play at this football club. I have spoken before about what my role looks like. I’ve been playing, I’ve been injured, I have been on the bench, hopefully I still add some value to the group.
‘I am a very self-aware person, I know I won’t start every game and I know the role might be as it was before Doz got injured, which is coming off the bench, depending on the scenarios of the game. That role could also be driving standards in training and being that voice and that communicator.
‘While you are still playing, retiring would stupid, it would be foolish to try to step away and give up playing, giving up being part of the group, giving up being in the dressing room. Once you do that, I think it’s hard to recreate that feeling.
‘Of course you want to continue playing because you are a long time retired and I have given my all to become a professional footballer. I do like the coaching side of it, it’s definitely something I want to go into - but I don’t think quite yet.'